Acetylene-gas generator.



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EDMUND R. ANGELL, OF DERBY, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

ACETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 714,125, dated November 25, 1902'.

Application tiled November 3, 1899. Serial No. 735.731. (No model.)

To (ZZZ whom t may concern,.-

Beit known that l, EDMUND R. ANGELI., of Derry, in the county of Rockingham and State of New Hampshire, have invented a new and Improved Acetylene-Generator, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improvement in acetylene-generators,and comprises the novel features hereinafter described and claimed. It belongs to that class in which the carbid is placed within a number of holders which are supplied with water in succession, each receiving it intermittently until flooded before the next is brought into action.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specication, in which the figure is a sectional elevation of my device.

In connection with my device I use a gasometer of the ordinary construction, consisting of a tank A, which contains Water to form a seal, and the gasometer A. The gas is introduced into the gasometer by the pipe C, which passes through the bottom of the tank A and extends above the water therein. It is-conducted from the gasometer by a similar pipe C'. Two grooved guides B B are located diametrically opposite each other on the inside of the tank A, and to the outside of the gasometer A opposite each other two narrow blades B B are attached, which slide up and down in the grooves as the gasometer is caused to rise and fall by the introduction and withdrawal of gas, and to the lower end of the gasometer extending outwardly four blocks K K (only two are represented) are at-v tached ninety degrees from one another and each one forty-five degrees from one or the other of the narrow blades on the gasometer. These blocks slide upon the inner surface of the tank A. By these means the gasometer is always kept in a nearly vertical position, and the arm M, which is attached to it, is caused to move in the same vertical line, so it can actuate the valve which controls the flow of water upon the carbid. This valve is of novel construction. It acts upon the principle of a trap or seal containing mercury and is located in the watercourse beneath the water-tank W. A short pipe P extends to the bottom of a deep narrow cup V. This cup contains a sufficient depth of mercury to over- ,balance the column of water in the pipe P and at p in a support attached to the tank W..

The short arm of this lever is sufficiently loaded with the weight Q to cause the bottom of the cup to press against the end of the pipe P when the gasometer does not act to depress it. The long arm of this lever is in two parts connected by the hinge h, so that the outer portion can swing upwardly and drop back. The extremity of this swinging portion is provided with a friction-roller fr.

The funnel F connects with the pipe Z, which drops in a loop to form a trap and then enters the pipe H, which supports the generators G G. f

The end of the arm M, attached to the gasometer A', carries a disk d. When this disk in its downward course comes in contact with the roller r it operates the lever L to depress the cup and cause water to flow from the tank W into the funnel F, and thence upon the carbid in the generator. When the carbid responds by the delivery of a sufficient quan- -tity of gas to raise the gasometer to lift the disk d from the roller r, water ceases to flow. If the carbid in a generator is nearly exhausted, a prolonged iiow of water is needed to flood the generator and cause the water to pass on to the next generator. This prolonged flow is made possible by the time required for the roller to traverse the diameter of the disk. It is evident that this could not be accomplished by the contact of a point with the roller, for that would quickly pass the roller, the water would cease to flow, the gas would cease to be generated, and the machine would stop, although theV next generator contained a charge of carbid. The disk enables the machine to operate automatically until the last generator is exhausted. Then it passes below the roller r, and the valve closes, so that water ceases to flow soon after IOO the carbid is exhausted, although the tank W may be nearly full of it.

When the generators are recharged, if the disk is below the roller o" it is necessary Vto depress the cup V by the hand in order to start the machine. This is made possible by the hinged joint in the arm of the lever L. When the disk d passes above the roller fr', the end of the arm drops back into the horizontal position and the machine becomes operative automatically.

The water-supply pipe Z discharges into the pipe H. This pipe H supports any desired number of generators. Here I have represented only two.

The casing J of the three-way valve is interposed between the parts of the pipe H, and the downward outlet from the valve-casing connects with the pipe I. This pipe I both conveys Water to the generator and conducts gas from it. To it E, the cover of the generator G, is attached. This cover Eis provided with two flanges,- a wide one, Z, which tits within the wall of the generator, and a narrow one, Z', which shuts outside the wall of the generator. A packing-ring b is placed in the annular space between these flanges, which presses against the top edge of the generator G to form a tight joint when the generator is forced up against it.

The yoke Y moves vertically between two pairs of guides 'L' il, attached to the top of the cover, and its ends have hooks extending laterally and in opposite directions, so that a slight turning motion of the generator about its vertical axis in one direction causes the lugs e e, which are attached to the generator on opposite sides, to rest upon said hooks, 'and a rotary motion of the generator in the opposite direction removes them from the hooks.

The end of the three-way valve-plug is turned to form an eccentric J. A strap j fits around this eccentric and is attached to and forms one piece with the bolt f. This bolt passes through a hole in the yoke Y, which it supports by the adj usting-nut g. By turning this nut so that it holds the yoke or cross-bar higher or lower the pressure against the packing-ring is regulated and any com pression compensated. A lever or handle F is fastened to the end ot the plug of the threeway valve, itting over the square projection j. The eccentric-strap j has shoulders m to limit the motion of the lever F' to a half-turn, so that when it is turned toward the right until it engages one of these shoulders there is a free passage through the three-way valve in the direction of the pipe H and also when the lever is turned toward the left until it engages the .other shoulder. While the lever is in the former position there is also a passage between the generator and pipe H; but when it is in the latter position communication between the generator and pipe H is closed. When the lever F points toward the right, the larger portion of the eccentric J is above the center of the three-way valve-plug, the yoke Y is in its highest position, and the top edge of the generator is pressed firmly against the packing-ring b, which eects the closure of the generator; but when the lever F' points toward the left the larger portion of the eccentric .l is below the center of the threeway valve-plug, the yoke Y is in its lowest position, and the generator is suspended loosely below its cover on the hooks y y. Thus the turning of the three-way valve performs a double functionthe one opens or closes communication between the gasometer and generator,the other closes or opens the generator. This double function of the three-way valve, the construction of the eccentric, the eccentric-strap a`nd bolt, with adjustable nut, and the handle or lever have been described and claimed in a former application, Serial No. 713,780, and substantially the same description is given here for the full explana tion of this specication; but the shoulders on the eccentric-strap and the generator-cover, consisting of a single plate provided with two iianges, with a packing-ring in the annular space between them, have not been previously described or claimed.

The pipe p', which enters the pipe I in a horizontal direction j ust above the generatorcover, bends downward to form a loop and enters the upright pipe p2, which carries the float ct. The downwardly-extending loop always contains water to form a seal. When the generator is in operation, but not exhausted, the level of the water in the arm of the loop next to the generator is even with the pipe p. Its level in the upright pipe p2 is higher than this by the amount of gas-pressure.which is about two inches and one-fourth, and supports the float a at its lowest position. When the generator is exhausted and becomes iilled with water and also the pipe I, so that water flows on through the pipe H to the next generator, water enter the pipes p and p2 and causes the oat ct to rise to its highest position. When the generator is removed for recharging, the water in the pipe p2 iiows out through the pipe lo until only the loop remains full of Water. By this arrangement of piping an indicator is provided for the generator to tell when itis exhausted.

By connecting the indicator-pipe with the water-inlet instead of the generator lime is prevented from clogging it, thus both the,un obstructed working of the indicator and the automatic removal of the quantity of water causing the float to rise and fall are secured.

The pipe p3 is connected at its upper end with the pipe H at a point farthest from the water-supply and at its lower end by an elbow with the tank D. The downward descent and depth of these parts are sutlicient to form a secure trap. When the last generator of the series becomes exhausted and filled with water, whatever lime washes over with the continued ow of Water passes down to the bottom of the tank D and the excess of water IOC IIO

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'overflows at its top. In this manner lime is prevented from clogging the piping of the apparatus.

In order to provide for the removal of all air from the gasometer when the machine is first started, it is necessary that the gasometer should be completely submerged. When the gas first enters the gasometer, the water within it is depressed until the column outside balances the weight of the gasometer. Since the space around the gasometer is less than the space within it, the water would be caused to rise over the top of it if it had no escape. To remove this excess of water when the machine is first started, the tank A is provided with an overflow-pipe w', placed a few inches below its top.

The gasometer A is provided with two stops s s, attached to the narrow blades B B and at such distance from the bottom of the gasometer that the latter will be sufficiently submerged to maintain the seal when the stops s s check the upward motion of the gasometer by coming in contact with the grooved guides B B. Then when the pressure increases slightly the excess of gas will escape through the blow-off R into the outside air by the pipe R.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. In acetylene-gas apparatus, the combination of a gasometer, a generator containing carbid, a water-tank above the generator and a water-channel between the water-tank and the generator, in combination with a valve, forming a part of said water-channel, for controlling the ow of water upon the carbid, comprising a pipe extending downwardly from the water-tank into a deep, narrow cut adapted to contain a sufficient quantity of mercury to close the lower end of the downwardly-extending pipe to form a seal when the cup is pressed against the end of said pipe, said cup being attached to the arm of a counterweighted and pivoted lever arranged to be engaged by an arm on the gasometer, whereby the seal is broken and closed respectively by the fall and rise of the gasometer, substantially as described.

2. A water-feed valve, comprisinga waterconveying pipe and a cup containing mercury supported by a pivoted and counterweighted lever adapted to lift the .cup to cause the mercury to seal the end of the pipe, and means to lowerit, whereby the seal is broken, substantially as described.

3. In acetylene-gas apparatus, a gas-holder and a generator having an open topvand a closure therefor, comprising a plate supported from a gas -exit pipe and having two flanges with a compressible packing-ring in the annular space between them to t upon the top odge of the generator and a cross-bar movable vertically between guides on the top of said plate and having dependent hooks at its ends adapted to engage lugs on the generator, in combination with a valve in said gas-exit pipe, provided with an eccentric at the larger end of its plug, and an eccentricstrap surrounding said eccentric, having a bolt rigidly attached thereto and connecting with said cross-bar, whereby when the eccentric is turned the cross-bar is moved vertically to force the generator against the packing-ring, or release it therefrom, substantially as described.

4. In acetylene-gas apparatus, a gas-holder and a generator having an open top and av closure therefor, comprising a plate rigidly attached to a gas-exit pipe, having a wide flange fitting within the wall of the generator, and a narrow one shutting outside of it, with a packing-ring in the annular space between the flanges to fit upon the top edge of the generator and a cross-bar movable vertically between guides on the top of said plate and having dependent hooks at its ends adapted to engage lugs on the generator and a valve in said gas-exit pipe provided with an eccentric at the larger end of its plug, in combination with an eccentricstrap surrounding said eccentric having a bolt rigidly attached thereto and connected with said cross-bar by means of a nut, whereby the pressure of the generator against the compressible ring may be regulated and any compression of said ring compensated, substantially as described.

5. In apparatus of the class described, a gas holder and generator having an open top and a closure therefor, comprising a plate supported from a gas-exit pipe and having two flanges with a compressible packing-ring in the annular space between them to lit upon the top edge of the generator, a cross-bar moving vertically between guides on the top of said plate and having dependent hooks at its ends adapted to engage lugs on the generator, and a valve in said gas-exit pipe having an eccentric at the larger end 0f its plug, in combination with a lever, or handle, at tached to the valve-plug, and an eccentricstrap surrounding said eccentric and having shoulders to limit the motion of said lever to a half-turn, whereby the valve is caused to stop in the right position, both when the generator is closed and opened, substantially as described.

6. In an acetylene-gas apparatus the combination with the generators of a trap to prevent the lime from clogging the pipes, consisting of a pipe extending downwardly from the gas-exit pipe of the generator into the bottom of a tall cylindrical vessel provided with a lip, so arranged as to perform the double function of a .trap for lime and seal for gas, substantially as described.

EDMUND R. ANGELL.

Witnesses:

CARMI A. NORTON, WILLIAM D. KINCAID.

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